Burning Low
by Indigo Fatality
Summary: Bright, a kit abandoned by her birthclan, is sent headlong into a dangerous war when a rival Clan adopts her. She is key to a prophecy from the stars themselves, and many cat's lives depend on her. But Bright has doubts, doubts about her Clan and doubts about herself. Will she bring the oncoming war to a halt, or will old tradition win and plunge them into darkness, forever?
1. Allegiances and Prologue

**Hi, guys! Welcome to Burning Low! I'm gonna try and make this a long one, okay? *Glares at Broken Trust* and maybe even FINISH it!**

**Anyways, characters needed! They don't need warrior names, but they can have 'em if you want!**

**Name:**

**Gender:**

**Appearance:**

**Personality:**

**Clan(Leave blank if rogue):**

**Rank(Swift,Strength,Kit,etc.):**

**Important Other:**

**AAA**

**Here is a guide: Teacher is basically leader, Deputy is... c'mon, guys! The herbs are both equally-ranked medicine cats. Swifts are hunters and Strengths are fighters. Trainees are apprentices, the Wise are elders, and Queens are... onto the allegiances!**

**AAA**

ALLEGIANCES:

LightClan

Teacher:_Lyra - thick-furred black she-cat, blue eyes_

Deputy:_Raven - small, black she-cat, green eyes_

Herbs: _Echo - white-and-silver she-cat, yellow eyes_

_Trainee: Ash_

_Bat - small black-and-white tom, hazel eyes_

Strengths: _Marcus - pure brown tom, missing half of tail, amber eyes_

_Trainee: Brook_

_Lilianne - silver she-cat, blue eyes_

_Coco - large ginger-and-white tom, brown eyes_

_Trainee: Whiskers_

_Chipper - small brown-and-black tom, yellow eyes_

_Pumpkin - large ginger-and-white tom, green eyes, formerly rogue_

_Iris - white she-cat with brown tabby patches, amber eyes, abandoned by WhiteClan_

Swifts: _Silver - silver tabby she-cat, green eyes_

_Gunther - large, pure black tom, yellow eyes_

_Plume - white she-cat with brown spot between amber eyes, abandoned by WhiteClan_

_Bugsy - fluffy grey tom, green eyes_

_Trainee: Mary_

_Sarah - thin ginger she-cat, blue eyes_

_Rose - pure white she-cat, blue eyes, formerly WhiteClan_

Trainees: _Whiskers - small silver tom, yellow eyes_

_Mary - dark ginger she-cat, green eyes_

_Brook - ginger she-cat with white accents, blue eyes, abandoned by WhiteClan_

_Ash - pale grey tom, blue eyes, abandoned by WhiteClan_

Queens: _Lexi - small black she-cat, amber eyes_

_Kits: Bright, Owl, Stone_

Wise:_ Pearl - large white she-cat, blue eyes_

AAA

WhiteClan:

Teacher: _Myra - thick-furred, pure white she-cat, blue eyes_

Deputy: _Clark - huge white tom, green eyes_

Herb: _Maggie - small white she-cat, hazel eyes_

Strengths: _Cook - white tom, yellow eyes_

_Martha - long-legged white she-cat, one yellow eye, one green_

_Glacier - fluffy white tom, amber eyes_

Swifts_: Fumble - clumsy white tom, amber eyes_

_Antonio - white tom, dark blue eyes_

_Creek - white tom with black stripes, amber eyes_

Trainees: N/A

Queens: _Peach - white she-cat, pale amber eyes_

_Kits: Crunch, Hubble_

Wise: _Yowl - huge black tom, blue eyes_

AAA

Cats outside the Clans:

_Jackson - pale brown tom with dark brown splotches, bright amber eyes_

AAA

"Once upon a time, seasons upon seasons ago, their lived two mates. A white she-cat, and a black tom. They were deeply in love. After awhile, the she-cat had his kits. Two she-kits, one black, one white. The couple was delighted.

"As they grew, their personalties showed to be polar opposites. The white sister held herself above others, declaring white was the superior pelt colour. The black sister argued that all pelts were equal. The parents were forced to take sides. The black tom took the white sister's side, despite his colouring. The white she-cat was the opposite, taking the black sister's side.

"Angry and spiteful, the black tom and white sister left. The white she-cat and black sister also left, in the opposite direction. Slowly, both pairs began to build up Clans. The black tom and his white daughter built a camp atop a huge hill, whilst the white she-cat and her black daughter decided to build camp underground. The white she-cat, who had lived with humans and understood some of their ways, lit up the cave with glowing bulbs of light.

"The black tom and white sister began to send out word, inviting all white cats to join them. Soon, their Clan was prospering. The white sister decreed that all kits born that weren't white were to be abandoned. Meanwhile, the white she-cat and black sister had invited all cats of all colours to join. Soon, they too were prospering. They decreed all abandoned kits would be taken in as if they were the queen's own.

"These clans are known as WhiteClan, and LightClan."


	2. Beginning of Brightness

A sleek silver tabby darted through the undergrowth, dots of sunlight through the trees illuminating her soft fur and bright green eyes. A ragged, huge black tom followed close behind, remarkably quiet for one his size.

The two were in a dense forest, dodging berry-loaded bushes, prickly brambles, and pesky roots. Maple, Birch, and Oak trees towered above them, the leaves swaying gently in the new-leaf breeze. Farther ahead, two white cats were taking a well-trodden path through nature. One held a tiny orange-and-white she-kit in his jaws. The kit was so young her eyes and ears were still sealed. She mewled pitifully, swinging violently in the tom's jaws. The other white cat, a persian with cold, calculating blue eyes, padded on with a purposeful, menacing lilt.

"Drop it here." She spat suddenly. The snowy tom stopped, depositing the kit in a bush. "Is this okay, Myra?" He asked her, his voice carefully respectful. Myra nodded, and the duo set off again, unaware of their followers.

"Silver, we've got to get her. She looks newborn." The black tom hissed, waiting impatiently as the white cats strolled on by, chatting happily. Silver's eyes were narrowed into hateful slits. "I know, Gunther. Let them pass." She retorted.

Finally, the cats were gone. Gunther darted out from the thick brush, poking his head into the kit's hiding place. His yellow gaze landed on her. The kit had quieted to a whimper, and was curled in a pitiful ball. Gently, he picked her up, and faced Silver.

The she-cat nodded her approval, and the pair set off. They still ran, but at a slower pace, to spare the kit. The trees thickened as they went, blotting out more and more light until Gunther's pelt was merely a stain. Silver stopped, lifting her tail as a signal and murmering a few quiet words. She stepped back, and the ground seemingly lifted, revealing a tunnel in the earth. Wires ran along the top, connecting to small bulbs that glowed a soft yellow. A brown-and-white tom winked at them, stepping out of the way to let them pass, and pulling the cover back down.

Silver and Gunther padded through the dimly lit tunnel. Slowly, it began to widen. The pair stepped into a huge, hollowed out cave. The walls were packed with dark soil and black rocks, strung over with the same lights in the tunnel. All of the wires followed along the top of one wall, running up and up to a weird, shiny, silver box that perched just outside a den. Rocks and little ledges stuck out from the opposite wall, leading up to the den in question. Moss padded the majority of the cave's floor, and holes dug deep and large into the sides resembled dens. There was a nursery, a strength and swift den, a trainee den, a herb and rest den, and a wise den. The den up at the top was the teacher's den.

Gunther immediately headed for the nursery, while Silver started to climb the makeshift stairs to tell Lyra, their teacher, about the kit. The burly black tom poked his head into the den, and a black she-cat smiled back at him, her amber eyes bright with exitement. "Oh, you got one? Thank stars I just had my litter! Let me see the dear-" She reached out and grasped the spotted orange kit. "-Oh, what a darling!" The queen gently put the kit near her teats with two others, a white-and-brown kit, and a brown tabby.

Gunther smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Lexi." Lexi nodded and began to groom the shaken kit, cooing sweet nothing into sealed ears. The black tom exited the den, a warm glow in his chest. From inside, he heard LightClan's newest queen name her adoptive kit.

"Little one, so orange and white, deserves a special name. Bright."

Silver mewed to announce her arrival, and a thick-furred, jet-black she-cat with piercing but warm blue eyes came out to meet her. "Ah, Silver. Did you get the kit?" Silver nodded quickly. "I trust she's okay?" Another nod. The she-cat smiled and sat down, her feathery, inky tail swishing with satisfaction. "Good, good."

Silver turned to leave, but the teacher's mew interrupted her. "Silver, have you thought about settling down?" Her green eyes widened. "Lyra! You know I don't want a mate and kits!" The tabby growled. Lyra smiled sadly. "Alright, alright. Calm, Silver. Go get some rest." Silver huffed crossly and began to hop one by one down the ledges and rock, leaping gracefully down near the end. The teacher watched her stalk across camp into the swift and strength's den.


	3. Shut Tight

**Hello again, guys! No reviews...? *Curls up in corner with laptop* Fine then I'll pout ;n;**

AAA

It was warm in this new place. The she-cat who had milk smelled different than her mother had, but she supposed it was alright. There were other warm bodies around her. She assumed they were littermates.

Her ears had opened a few days ago, and she could speak broken bits of cat. Her eyes, however, were still sealed shut. The kit was afraid if she opened them, she'd find out it was a dream and be out in the cold again, alone.

"Bright, dearest." Lexi's soft mew startled her from her thoughts. "The herbs are getting worried. Don't you think it's time to see the world?"

Bright whimpered. "Nuh-uh! Scary!" She declared, nuzzling farther into the queen's fur. Lexi heaved a sigh and gave her adopted kit a lick on the head. "Alright, alright. It's your decision."

AAA

Lyra sat outside her den, surveying her clan with deep blue eyes. They were thriving, but so was WhiteClan. That pack of malevolent brats were gaining cats, too. How, the black she-cat did not know. Myra- WhiteClan's leader - had been sending her strengths and swifts to kill or imprison LightClan cats who were alone. Lyra had put a stop to this by telling all cats to travel out of camp only to hunt or otherwise ordered, and always in groups of three or more. Still, they had lost two cats; Wibbsy, a trainee, and a swift by the name of Rae.

The majority of LightClan was made up of non-white cats who had been driven out of WhiteClan or abandoned as kits, and former kittypets. There had once been a cat who came from far away, a place called 'SkyClan.' Her name had been Rosestep. She had been the one to teach Lyra of the Warrior Code. The leader had, however, added her own special twists to it, such as different names for the rankings, and the fact that she-cat teachers and herbs could have mates and kits. Rosestep had left moons ago, claiming she had to 'teach cats of the proper way to live.'

The newest addition, Bright, stumbled out of the nursery. Lyra smiled softly. The scrap hadn't opened her eyes yet. Whether she couldn't, or wouldn't, Lyra knew not, nor did she care. The kit would know when she wanted to see the world.

The huge black she-cat scampered down the stairs from her den to the floor. She would get Silver and Gunther to come with her on a hunting patrol.

AAA

Gunther's dreams of a certain silver tabby were interrupted at a nudge in the shoulder and an order to get up. The tom groaned, letting his eyes open into slits. Lyra stood before him, and beside her Silver was grooming quickly.

"We're going hunting, lazybones. Up, up, up!" The tabby purred. Gunther hauled himself to his paws and began to untangle his fur with quick, short licks. Lyra swept her tail around impatiently, nearly waking up another swift.

Finally his fur was presentable, and the trio set off to hunt.

AAA

**Reaaaally short chapter guys c: Sorry for not updating, I moved houses and didn't have internet for a bit. The plot's slow at first, but it'll get better, I promise!**


	4. Confrontations

Silver hissed in frustration as the scrawny mouse she had been after darted away, ducking under bushes and skimming over roots. She tried to chase after it, but the tabby had landed unevenly after her jump, and one of her legs slipped, sending her face-first into a puddle of muddy water.

The silver she-cat let out a hiss of frustration, her claws scrabbling on the marshy ground, trying to pull herself up. Jaws closed around her scruff and Silver was pulled up. She wiped her eyes free of mud with a paw. "Thanks, Gunther." The she-cat grumbled, leaning down to groom. Gunther smiled softly at her and began to groom the water and dirt from her silver fur.

Lyra watched the two, but a sudden noise caught her attention. The hulking black she-cat turned her head, deep blue gaze locking with an identicle pair of eyes in a bush. The teacher let out a growl of hate as white she-cat emerged from the bush. "Myra. What is it you want?" By now, Silver and Gunther were at Lyra's side, hissing protectively.

Myra was a carbon copy of Lyra, right down to the spot of black on her pink nose. The only difference was their fur colours, which were exact opposites. "Lyra, dearest. How has LightClan been?" The thick-furred cat purred in a mockingly friendly tone.

"Cut to the chase. What do you want and why are you on LightClan's territory?" Lyra demanded.

"Always so straightforward. It's a bit insulting. Anyways, we want the kit."

Lyra's eyes darkened. "What kit? The kit you abandoned?" The she-cat made a show of looking at the sky. "Coincidentally, I don't see any hedgehogs flying."

Myra bared her teeth at the black cat. "That kit is rightfully WhiteClan's! We left her on _our _territory, which means you trespassed!"

"You mean the thing you're doing right now?" Lyra pointed out mockingly.

Myra looked like she wanted to claw Lyra's ears off. Silver had to stop herself from giggling like a kit at the look of pure hatred on LightClan's teacher's face.

"Listen, _hun_. If that kit is not delivered to the Mouse Maple by midnight tomorrow, LightClan will not hesitate to fight and kill for what is rightfully ours!"

Gunther's eyes widened. He spoke up suddenly. "Why do you want this kit, Myra? You abandoned her. I watched. Is it because you need her?" His tone became mocking. "Do you need her to fix your dump of a Clan?"

Myra looked like she was going to murder him. "Midnight." She hissed, turning away and bounding into the dark woods, her white pelt practically glowing.

Silver shot Gunther an amused grin, and although Lyra tried to look stern, she started to laugh once the snobby she-cat was out of earshot. The black tom smiled at them both. "We'd better catch some prey." Silver spoke up, sliding into a crouch and stalking farther into the forest. The other two copied her, stalking in opposite directions

AAA

Bright tottered out of the nursery, yelping as Owl and Stone knocked her down. "C'mon, Bright! Open your eyes! You're boring!" The two mewed, pawing at her sides.

"I don't wanna!" The she-kit hissed, stalking away from them. She did, truthfully, but she wanted to do it alone. Finally, Bright was sure no one was near. She strained for a second, and her eyes opened into little slits. She was greeted by a nauseating amount of colour. Lexi had tried to describe colours to her, and now she understood. Green for the moss underpaw, yellow for the lights on the grey and brown walls, black for the bug that buzzed in front of her face. She turned to face Owl and Stone. Grey and black stripes for Stone, cream and brown spots for Owl. Blue for their eyes. Bright looked at her paws. Ginger and white for Bright.

Lexi poked her head out of the nursery. Black for her fur, amber for her eyes. "Bright! Oh, Bright! You opened your eyes!" The queen scrambled from the brown and grey den, her silver claws catching on the green moss as she bounded towards her kit, covering her in licks. "Momma, what colour're my eyes?" Bright asked her. "They're amber, dear. Like mine."

AAA

_Amber eyes, ginger and white, adopted and raised in the midst of night. Born of White, one of Light, to stop a war, the name of Bright._

Bat blinked once, twice. Was that a prophecy? The small tom stood up, startled. He looked around for a misty-furred cat of AirClan, the Clan where their ancestors came to rest after death. He caught sight of the last wisps of mist, the glint of silver eyes.

Amber eyes, ginger and white... Bright! It was blindingly obvious that the prophecy was about LightClan's newest kit, an she-cat abandoned by WhiteClan.

Bat hurried off to find Lyra and alert her of this news.

AAA

Lyra listened patiently to the young tom's words. "You're saying Bright is going to stop a war?" Bat nodded. "Alright. You may leave. I'll think this over." The black and white tom scurried out of her den.

_That's why Myra wanted her. She must have gotten the same prophecy! All the more reason to keep Bright._

AAA

**Oooooh. Plot twist? Nope. XD I'm sure you all knew she was a prophecy kit. I mean, come on! Who writes about non-special kits?! Well, lots of people... hehe, yeah. I take back that last sentence. Send in your cats, people! Don't you want to see Snookums the kitten, or Ginger the grumpy elder in here?**


	5. Learning and Considering

**Pumpkinfur, I'm going to introduce your characters in this chapter, a'ight? . You too, A. (Such a creative name, if I do say so myself.) Also, I'm gonna put a cap on characters. 3 to each reviewer (Count yourself lucky, Pumpkin.) Also, 4 kits max to each couple. Unless your she-cat is Ferncloud, who mothers half of ThunderClan. Added a rank spot in the character sheet/designer/thingie-majiggie. I just guessed on what rank was what. Tell me if I'm wrong!**

**AAA**

Creek slunk out of the swift den, keeping his head low to avoid sneers from his 'clanmates'. Oh, how he wanted to leave this star-forsaken excuse for a clan, but where would he go? The tom was mostly white, with black stripes decorating his back, tail, and face. Myra had kept him around only for a slave of sorts, a punching bag for her group of snobby superior whites.

His mind wandered to the beautiful ginger cat he had seen near the border yesterday, on patrol with two she-cats who were both brown and white, one with various splotches and one with one brown spot between her eyes. Creek knew the two as Iris and Plume, sisters who had been abandoned as kits. They had a brother, Glacier. He was still in WhiteClan. But the ginger she-cat, she was simply amazing. Brook, her name was. She had silky, perfect ginger fur, with white paws, stomach, and tail-tip. Her eyes were gorgeous, bright green. When Brook had seen Creek, she'd smiled, _smiled _at him, but Iris and Plume hissed at him. Creek had been forced to help Myra abandon them moons ago, when he was a newly made trainee, and he still felt guilty. Brook had been left to die by WhiteClan not long after Plume and Iris, along with her brother Ash. Rose, the mother, had taken her kits back and joined LightClan. She was about midway through training, Creek assumed.

"Hey, _Geek_. We're going on patrol. Myra wants us to take you, but once we leave you'd better buzz off or there'll be a price to pay." The biting meow of WhiteClan's deputy, Clark, startled Creek from his thoughts. The newly-made swift nodded fearfully and padded after the hunting party, which consisted of him, Clark, Antonio, and Glacier. Antonio and Clark ignored him, but Glacier shot the younger tom a look of sympathy. The patrol split off, leaving Creek alone.

With a sigh, the striped tom headed off into the sunlit forest, searching for any signs of prey. The Clan's jeers haunted him as he scented the air, and he nearly missed a vole as it squealed and ran right inbetween his paws. "No, you don't!" He snarled, chasing after it. Creek was so caught up in catching the prey he didn't notice when the forest began to darken until he ran headfirst into a huge brown tom. He let out a startled yelp and staggered backwards, running into a ginger she-cat who was a bit smaller than him.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing, rogue? This is LightClan territory!" Brook shoved him away, glaring at him. _Brook! She had spoken to him! Oh, stop it, you're being obsessive._ Creek blinked. "I-I'm not a rogue. I'm WhiteClan..." Seeing both the brown tom and Brook's face distort in hatred, he added in a pathetic squeak of; "I'm sorry!"

The tom studied him. "I'm Marcus. This is Brook. How can you be WhiteClan? You have black stripes, s'clear as day." Creek lowered his gaze to his paws. "...Um..." He looked back up at Marcus, who waited not-so-patiently, then to Brook. Suprisingly, she looked sympathetic.

Creek swallowed. "I... err... Myra, she..." What could he say? Telling the truth would make him look like what he was, a wimpy punching bag. Lying would probably make it even worse.

"Stop stutterin', kid! Got bees in yer' brain?" Marcus demanded. Brook shot him a death glare. Creek spoke up suddenly. "Myra kept me because she needed someone to do her dirty work!" Marcus looked skeptical, and Brook raised a brow. _What did I just say?! I made myself sound like Myra's henchman or something!_

"Scurry on back to yer' master, whelp." Marcus waved a brown paw, his half-tail lashing. Creek cast Brook a longing glance which she returned with an almost unseen smile. His heart speeding up dramatically, the black-striped tom hurried away towards his own territory.

AAA

Iris nudged her sister Plume's side, sighing as the mostly-white she-cat hissed and rolled over, screwing her eyes shut tight.

"Plume, get up. We're gonna go meet that tom, remember?" Iris insisted, shoving her harder. The she-cats eyes finally opened, and she shot up. "Well then, let's go!"

The siblings exited the Swift's den, darting out of camp before anyone asked them anything. They moved almost as one, weaving around bushes, hopping over roots. Identical amber eyes glowed in the dark of LightClan's forest. As they neared the far border, opposite from WhiteClan's territory, Iris and Plume slowed to a silent trot, until they came into a sunlit clearing. Far to the side a small, fairly young tom sat. He was cream with dark brown patches, and piercing amber eyes.

"Jackson!" Plume greeted, bounding over to meet the rogue. Iris followed more slowly, thinking over what to say. Jackson grinned at Plume and waved his tail at Iris. "Any news?"

Quickly she spoke up before Plume could babble on. "There's a new kit, Bright. She was abandoned by WhiteClan. Also, apparently there's a tom in WhiteClan who has black stripes. Marcus says he's some kind of slave to Myra, and that he's pretty docile." Jackson listened carefully, waiting until she finished to speak. "This Bright one. When she's old enough to leave camp, bring her to me. I'd like to meet her. The one with black stripes, is his name known?"

Plume cut in. "Bright's not even a moon old! And yes, that's Creek! Remember him, Iris?" Iris shook her head no. Plume's eyes had opened almost at birth, and she had choppy memories of being abandoned. It only fueled her hatred for Myra, and a certain stripes tom who had helped her leave the sisters to die. She also remembered a white tom who had been their sibling, but Iris doubted she was right.

"Creek, you say? I'll see if I can talk to him alone sometime. Is that all?" Although Jackson was fairly young, eight moons at most, he was intelligent far beyond his age. The sisters shook their heads. "Thanks for the information. Same time next moon." With that, the spotted tom was gone.

Iris and Plume looked at eachother. "Race ya'!" Plume shrieked, darting off with Iris directly behind her.

AAA

Pumpkin grinned as Ash leapt onto his back. Although his son had decided to train as an Herb, he loved to playfight, and Pumpkin loved it too. The hulking ginger tom threw him off with a fake-roar. Ash landed hard on his paws, fluffy grey fur puffed out. He laughed- music to his father's ears - and pounced again. A yowl rang from the camp entrance and Brook, his other kit, came racing over, crashing down onto her father like a ginger waterfall. The sibling's combined efforts finally brought the Strength down. "I'm defeated! You are the rightful champions of the forest!"

Brook and Ash hopped off him, purring with triumph, and began to clean the dust and moss scraps from their fur. Pumpkin's ears pricked at a she-cat's voice, and he released a very loud purr as his mate, Rose, pressed into his side. The white she-cat had had some trouble adjusting to life in LightClan after living in WhiteClan for the majority of her life, but slowly Lyra and her group warmed up to her, and now she was one of them.

Pumpkin licked her head and the two sat together, proudly watching their kits tumble around once again.

AAA

Bright watched Ash and Brook play with Pumpkin. Nearby Owl and Stone were doing the same thing, but she didn't feel up to it. The kit had asked Lexi why she didn't have a father, and the queen explained to her about WhiteClan, their rules, and what had happened.

_This isn't my Clan. Lexi's not my mother, Owl and Stone aren't my littermates_. Bright's ears flattened. Did LightClan hate her for it? Did they hate her because of where she was from? The ginger-and-white kit headed off to the Wise den to ask Pearl, their only elder.

"Pearl?" Bright squeaked, padding into the den. Pale blue eyes glowed farther back, milky and dull with great age. "Ah, little one. Come here. What troubles you?" The great white she-cat croaked. "I'm from WhiteClan!" The kit burst out. Pearl purred rustily. "Quite a few of us here are."

Bright's eyes widened into saucers. "Really?! Like who?!"

"Rose, for starts. Plume and Iris. Ash and Brook, too. Pumpkin used to be a rogue." Pearl rasped, her voice creaky and scratchy. Bright started to smile. "No cat hates them! They don't hate me, then! Thanks, Pearl!" She bounced off to tell Lexi the good news, and join her brothers in a scuffle.

AAA

**Yeaaaah, triple update to make up for the fact that I'll be busy tomorrow and maybe the day after, too.**


	6. Disloyalty and Battle

**I am sooooooooooo sorry I didn't update. Homework was piling up, (and drama -_-) I moved houses, and my laptop was doing weird things. I had to redo this twice. *Sniffle* Anyways, onto the story. Sorry for mixing up characters and their ranks sometimes, I'll make sure it happens less often. **

_Midnight._

_Lyra's eyes opened. Where was she? In a forest. The black persian lifted herself up unsteadily. It was quite like LightClan's territory, except the light filtering in was not yellow like the sun, but a murky green. A whisper in her ear made her turn._

_A she-cat made of mist stood before her, silver eyes blinking. Her shape shimmered every so often, revealing white fur with black patches. Her eyes were tinted with just the slightest amber._

_"Lyra, Lyra, Lyra. What have you gotten yourself into?" Her voice was silky, perfectly toned._

_Lyra narrowed her eyes at the AirClan she-cat. "I took in that kit. I'm not giving Bright back!"_

_"Oh, no. Not that. Bright is the light to stop the fight."_

Another_ prophecy? "What are you trying to say? Is LightClan in trouble? What is Myra planning?!" Lyra demanded, but the misty-furred cat was already fading._

_"Traitors within, battle; begin."_

AAA

Gunther poked Lyra's shoulder, telling her to wake up. "Lyra, it's sunset. Are we going to bring Bright? If we don't, we have to prepare for an attack." The tom stepped back as Lyra sat up, yawning and fluffing out her thick fur. "We're keeping Bright. Get Raven."

Gunther scurried off to find the deputy. She was giving Ash some tips on self-defense should he ever have to fight. "Raven, Lyra wants you." The inky black she-cat nodded to a dissappointed-looking Ash and bounded over to the teacher's den, her green eyes glinting with worry.

Gunther followed silently, listening in on them.

"We're keeping the kit, Raven. Myra's going to attack, I think. We sh-"

Raven's soft voice interrupted. "Send out a few swifts. Tell them to stay hidden around the camp. Rally the strengths just inside the cave, right where the tunnel ends. Send Pearl into the nursery with Lexi and her kits. The Herbs can be farther to the side, ready to hide or heal if needed."

_She's smart. Really smart._ "Good, good. I chose you as deputy for a reason."

"I'm going to go organize the cats into their places." Gunther turned and skimmed down the stairs before Raven could see him spying.

AAA

"Gunther, Silver, Bugsy, and Plume, I want you to scatter around near WhiteClan's border. If you see them, run back immediately and alert us. Sarah, Rose, and Mary, behind the entrance, hidden in undergrowth. Ambush them. Yowl and we'll come to help. If there's too many, just yowl and run.

"Marcus, Coco, Pumpkin, and Iris, I want you to stand just inside the cave, beside the tunnel, so that Myra cannot see you. Lilianne, Chipper, Brook, and Whiskers, guard the nursery and herb den.

"Lyra, Bat, and I will go to meet Myra at the Mouse Maple. If she has a patrol with her we will return. If she is alone, perhaps we can strike a deal."

Plume nodded as Raven instructed everyone. She shot her sister a look and mouthed _'be safe.' _Iris nodded. The she-cats plumed tail switched exitedly, her eyes glinting. Swift or not, this cat was going to fight! Myra would pay for what she had done!

Gunther and Silver were both impatient to leave, and Bugsy was hopping toe to toe nervously. Finally, Raven signaled for them to leave.

The four took off like lightning, weaving in and out of undergrowth. First Plume was ahead, then Bugsy, then Gunther. Silver never pushed herself to go ahead, the amber-eyed she-cat had noticed. _I suppose it's logical. We don't want to be exhausted when the time comes to warn LightClan._

Bugsy signaled for them to stop, and they scattered into various bushes. Silver climbed a tall pine tree. They waited.

...and waited...

...and waited...

Plume sighed impatiently. Where were the white-furred lunatics? She had wanted to shred some pelts! A sudden noise from across the border silenced her thoughts. Amber eyes narrowed.

A white head poked out cautiously from behind a tree. Green eyes carefully scanned for LightClan cats. "It's safe." He called, and about eight cats appeared. She recognized Clark, WhiteClan's deputy, Myra, and Creek. The rest were just evil cats who's pelts would be shredded. The group of cats slunk across the border, doing an awful job of being silent. Plume noticed Creek was lagging behind. He stopped suddenly, and the patrol didn't seem to notice the striped outsider was gone.

With a glance at her three friends, the she-cat dropped down beside Creek.

"Hey, WhiteClanner. You're lagging behind, aren't you?" Plume snarled.

The tom's eyes widened, and before she could even blink he was gone, after his Clan. Plume glared after him and signaled for the others. They needed to warn Lyra.

AAA

Brook paced quietly back and forth in front of the entrance to the nursery, her claws sending up little puffs of dirt. Her dark ginger fur was spiked up, her blue eyes glittering with a dangerous mixture of fear, anger, exitement, and nervousness. Where was WhiteClan? The trainee's gaze swept over their camp, but was lowered as a little mewl sounded at her paws.

Bright, the little ginger-and-white scrap of fur who had recently been taken in, was staring up at her with huge eyes. "Are you gonna fight?" Her voice was barely a whisper. Before Brook could answer, Lexi darted out and grabbed up her kit, scolding her and returning to the shelter of the nursery. The trainee purred, but her amusement was interrupted at a yowl.

"They're here!" Plume's voice rang out just as a stream of white cats came flying into the camp, screeching bloody murder. A long-legged she-cat practically flew at Brook, her mismatched eyes glinting with malice. Sheer size brought the trainee down, and she screeched as claws slashes across her side. The ginger she-cat kicked out desperately, hitting the Whiteclanner right in the belly and shoving her off. Brook quickly stumbled up and pounced again, but the cat side-stepped and tripped her, planting a paw on her head and holding her belly-down in the dirt. Pain surged through her as the white-furred she-cat slashed at her face, nearly taking out an eye. Brook wailed desperately, hoping someone, _anyone,_ would help.

A white streak with black lines came flying across camp, breaking free of two cats who looked like Chipper and Rose, but Brook was too dizzy to be sure. The cat slammed into her attacker's side, and the weight was lifted. The trainee quickly regained her standing position, watching in astonishment as the wimpy WhiteClan trainee practically tore apart the strength she now remembered to be Martha. Martha let out a howl and swatted Creek away, darting into another battle.

The black-striped tom hauled himself up, and Brook noticed how bad he looked. Creek had deep cuts lacing both of his shoulder, a bloody nick in his ear, and various bites and slashes on his muzzle, legs, and tail. His amber eyes were wide.

"Go to the herb den-" Brook gestured to it as she spoke. "-tell Bat and Echo that Brook sent you." The battered tom nodded gratefully and limped towards the den, ducking as a pair of fighting cats nearly flattened him.

Brook shook her head to clear it of any thoughts and rejoined the battle, fighting as fiercely as a trainee could.

AAA

Silver darted into the camp, her clanmates on her heels, to find the battle had just begun. A she-cat came barreling after Brook, who was guarding the nursery, and Silver moved to help, but a blow to the head knocked her sideways. A white shape loomed over her. The swift hissed and narrowly dodged another tooth-rattling hit, darting out from under her opponent and turning to face them. Something in her brain informed her she was up against a tom named Cook. Cook leapt high, aiming to crash down onto her, but Silver moved quickly, side-stepping and tripping him as he went. She bit onto his tail and yanked it hard, then gave him a swift kick to the head. The tabby left him dazed on the ground, moving to help some other cat, or teach a Whiteclanner a lesson.

AAA

Bright watched with wide eyes as the battle raged. Owl and Stone were on either side of her, just as amazed. Brook had been replaced by Gunther, and the black tom was grappling with an extremely fluffy white tom who seemed determined to win. The pair rolled near, and something in Bright's kit mind clicked. She reached out with tiny jaws and bit into the WhiteClan tom's tail. She barely got through the fur, just pricking flesh, but it distracted the tom enough that Gunther broke free and leapt, taking him down and getting the upper paw.

Lexi immediately grabbed her and her brothers, scolding her gently as she wrapped her black tail around them, pressing the trio against her belly. Bright listened to the screeches and yowls of pain and triumph.

Suddenly, an eerie silence practically deafened everyone. Lexi cautiously peeked out, her kits mimicking her.

On the highest ledge of camp, the teacher's den, Lyra was pinned by Myra, her white paw lifted to deal the fatal blow.


	7. Falling Down

**Guys, I can't take anymore LightClan cats, okay? ;u; There's enough cats already. WhiteClan is still open, though, and you can make rogues. c: Onto the story!**

**AAA**

Lyra hissed at WhiteClan's teader, Myra. The she-cat's snowy fur was bushed out, her eyes glinting with malice and triumph. Her paw was lifted, wicked silver claws glinting in the lights it had taken Lyra moons to set up.

The huge black she-cat was trapped. Myra was literally standing on her, effectively holding her down. She growled and spat in the WhiteClan teacher's face. It was the last straw.

Her claws came crashing down and _**pain**_, _can't see, __**can't see**_**. **Roll over, _more pain, on fire, fire, can't br__**EATHE screeches fighting exlplosions in head falling, falling, crASHING BLOOD AGONY HELP ME HELP ME- **_the panic slowed to a stop, as did her conciousness.

Slowly, vision was returning. Pain lanced through her with every small movement. Paws danced around her. She could feel blood trickling down her neck in a stream, pooling around her fallen form. Swiveling her head weakly, Lyra discovered she had fallen down. White blurs clashed against every colour imaginable, screeches and howls grating in her ears. Someone was speaking, she knew. Maybe to her, maybe not. The she-cat couldn't quite understand their words.

Turning again, Lyra confirmed someone was speaking to her. A small black tom with a white muzzle. Who was he? Who were these cats, fighting? Where was she? She was terribly confused. Her memory was... blank. She knew her name, her gender, and that she was in pain. That was all.

"Lyra? Lyra!" The tom was practically yelling at her now.

"W-Who are you? Where am I?!" Lyra burst out, her worried yellow eyes meeting his hazel ones. They went from concerned to horrified.

"Lyra, it's me, Bat! An herb, from LightClan!" _LightClan? Herb? Bat?_

"That's a funny name." She muttered, still confused. Bat sighed and hissed something quietly.

"Follow me." He mewed, extending a paw to help her up. She accepted gratefully but wearily. How could she trust him? Still, the large she-cat limped after the lithe tom. They avoided the fighting, finally reaching a cave dug into the wall. Bat entered and she followed. He sat down, facing her, his hazel eyes serious.

"Lyra, you've lost your memory."

AAA

Bright watched in horror as Myra's paw came crashing down. Red sprayed her white pelt as Lyra screeched, rolling over blindly. The she-cat thrashed violently, knocking herself from the ledge and crashing down. She was sickeningly still. The cats stared for a few heartbeats before Pumpkin screeched and leapt at a WhiteClan tom, and the fighting started anew. Lexi pulled her kits back again, and she could feel the black she-cat shaking violently.

"Sleep, little ones. When you wake up, this will all be over."

Owl and Stone nuzzled into her, and Bright shut her eyes, willing herself to sleep. Slowly but surely, the sounds of battle faded, leaving the kit to dream.

_Bright opened her eyes. She was in a misty clearing, tall trees tinged white towering above her. The soft grass looked frosty, but was in fact warm to the touch. The ginger-and-white kit turned at a voice, her gaze settling on a grey tabby she-cat, shrouded in white mist. Her eyes glinted silvery-blue._

_"How do you like your Clan, Bright?" Her voice was soft, sweet._

_"Oh, I love it! Lexi is like a real mum, an' everyone is nice to me even though I'm not really LightClan well I guess I am but I was from WhiteClan but they abandoned me so I guess I'm halfclan? No, that's parents..." Bright trailed off into serious thought._

_"But they aren't your _real _clan, Bright. You must return to WhiteClan. They will accept you. You'll meet your real mother, and your real littermates."_

_The kit frowned. "They abandoned me! I shouldn't go back!" She paused. "Who... is my mother?"_

_"You'd find out if you returned to your true clan. Bright, your destiny lies with Whiteclan!"_

_Bright shook her head. "No!"_

_Her surroundings briefly flickered from the foggy clearing to a murky moorland, devoid of any light. The she-cat flashed from grey to white, her eyes growing colder. But only for a heartbeat. Bright whirled around. "Wh-What was that?!"_

_"What was what, dear?" An undertone of something... cruel laced the she-cat's voice. Everything started to fade._

_"Return to WhiteClan. Fufill your destiny."_

Bright's eyes flew open, her heart pounding. She calmed as she realized she was back in the nursery, her _real _family sleeping around her.

Return to her birthclan? No! Bright knew she wasn't wanted. She had been thrown out, for AirClan's sake!

Still, the thought nagged at the back of her mind.

_Fulfill your destiny._

AAA

**I feel so cruel for hurting poor Lyra *Hugs her***

**Lyra: WHO ARE YOU**

**;n;**


	8. Beginning Again

**How d'you guys like the new cover? I myself am bursting with pride at this small feat! c: Thanks for the reviews, everyone, and special thanks to Orangeflight of ShadowClan for adding me to his/her community, 'Warrior Cat Stories With the Best Plots'.**

**AAA**

Lyra flinched under the stares of her... her clanmates. Bat had sat her down and explained everything to her. About LightClan, WhiteClan. About all of her hard work. About Bright, the prophecy. _Everything. _Even her secrets. _Secrets, ha! How would Bat know them if they were so secret? _She thought bitterly.

Cats milled about, most wrapped in cobwebs. The clan had lost two cats to the battle. Lyra personally would have rather died than to have lost her memory. From what Bat had told her, she had been a noble, well-respected cat. _Had. _How would a broken she-cat who's only memories were stories from a stranger who was supposedly her best friend live up to that?

As she climbed the makeshift stairs that she had supposedly built, Lyra felt worry prick her mind. She was going to announce her... loss. Hopefully LightClan would understand, maybe even help. If not, well... she didn't want to think about that 'if'. Finally, her shaky paws touched down onto the ledge of the teacher's den- of _her _den. Her blue gazed swept over the Clan- _her _Clan.

"Cats of LightClan! I am sorry to say that the impact of my fall has indeed wiped away my memory. Temporary or permanent, I and the herbs do not yet know." Bat had thankfully given her speech lessons, as well as teaching her posture and facial expression. He had told her everything about herself, starting from when he first met her, which had been when she was about 6 moons old, according to him. It was weird, to say the least, to hear her entire life story from a stranger.

The cat's eyes were wide. Shoced gasps and whispers passed through the crowd of battered and beaten cats. Finally, a small black she-cat spoke up. "I am Raven, your deputy." Lyra's studied her. Her green eyes were guarded, hiding her emotions. Slowly, the other cats picked up.

"I am Pumpkin." A large orange tom mewed. "This is my mate, Rose, and my kits, Brook and Ash." He gestured to a white she-cat and two trainee-age cats.

"I am Lexi. These are my kits, Owl, Stone, and Bright." A black queen spoke, and Lyra's gaze rested on three kits.

Slowly, all the of the cats were introduced. From the sisters Iris and Plume, to Silver and Gunther, to Chipper, to Coco, to Ripple, Sarah, Bugsy. From the trainees Mary and Whiskers to the battle-scarred Marcus. The soft herb Echo, her denmate, Bat. Finally, an ancient-lookinh huge white she-cat with milky blue eyes hauled herself up from her sitting position and stepped forward.

"I am Pearl. LightClan's eldest cat and only Wise. I am your mother."

**AAA**

Creek whimpered as the silver she-cat raised a paw to claw him. "W-Wait! Brook sent me!" The battered trainee whimpered.

"Liar!" The suprisingly fierce herb hissed, clawing his muzzle and sending him stumbling backwards. "Run back to your pathetic Clan!"

The striped tom backed away, out of the den. A quick glance behind him showed WhiteClan was being easily beaten. Suddenly, it all stopped. The rabid herb froze, staring upwards. The fighting came to a standstill. Creek looked up too, just as a yowl echoed through the large cave. High above, Myra had just clawed a large black she-cat he assumed was Lyra. The she-cat cried out and rolled sideways, blindly tumbling from the highest ledge and landing with a sickening thump on the floor. Immediately, the battle resumed.

Creek used his size as an advantage, weaving inbetween fighting cats. He reached the tunnel exit and waited, pretending to be looking for a fight. After what seemed like ages, Myra called out "RETREAT!" and WhiteClan cats streamed down the tunnel. Creek stumbled after them, looking behind him. Brook was watching him leave, looking sad. As soon as she saw him glancing back, her face turned angry. She hissed something that he was too far away to hear. Then they were gone, streaming back into WhiteClan territory.

**AAA**

As the sun fell from the sky and the oranges, yellows, and pinks started to fade to blackish-blue, LightClan began to retreat to their nests. The meeting had been a great success, but the battle had been tiring, and it was time for rest.

A cat slipped out of one of the dens, hidden by the shadows of night. It slunk across the cave and past Chipper, who had fallen asleep on guard. _Pathetic. _The cat slipped out of the tunnel and loped through the black forest, the moon barely illuminating the ground in front of it's paws.

Finally, the cat came to rest, sitting down and waiting. After what seemed like moons, the bushes rustled and another cat appeared.

"We won." The first cat's voice clearly showed she was a she-cat.

"Good, good. Is the teacher alive?" The second cat was a tom.

She narrowed her eyes, which glowed yellow. "She's alive and well, sadly. However, her memory was lost during the fall."

The tom's amber eyes darkened. "That's not good enough! If she's not dead by the end of next moon or I swear you'll be missing more than your dignity!"

The she-cat cowered in fear. "O-Okay. I'm nearly there, but if I try _too _hard, my cover will be blown!"

"Meet me here at the end of this moon." The tom spat, and with that, he was gone, leaving the she-cat to find her way home alone.


	9. Escaping a Nightmare

**I'm quite happy with how this story's going. c: Thanks for all of your support! Also, this chappie's pretyped, so if I don't answer questions or anything, that's why.**

**AAA**

Bat was startled out of his dream when a cold pelt brushed against his. His hazel eyes opened instantly, hoping it was Lyra. It wasn't. It was Echo, his secretive littermate and fellow herb. Her mustard eyes were clouded with worry. Her silver-and-white fur was ruffled.

"Echo, have you been out?" He muttered. She whirled at the sound of his voice.

"Yes, Bat. I couldn't sleep! I had this nightmare, so I went out for a walk..." She trailed off, frowning at her paws. Bat's eyes glowed with pity, but he had a nagging sense that she was lying...

"Alright. Next time you feel unsafe, just talk to me." The usually prickly herb comforted, purring softly as a weak smile lit up Echo's features. She nodded and curled up in her nest, careful not to disturb Ash.

Bat got up silently, going to sit outside the den. The death of his sister had hit hard, and grief ripped through him for what seemed to be a thousandth time. _She didn't have to die... I could have stopped them. From now on, I swear I will protect Lightclan in every way possible. For Lilianne. _He had taught Lyra how her light-system worked, and she had turned them off for the night. He knew this place like the back of his paw, however, and looked up in the direction of the teacher's den, wishing he could get a glimpse of her eyes.

**AAA**

Brook gritted her teeth as Ash wrapped a particularily nasty cut on her paw with cobwebs, looking away. Her dark ginger fur was laced with cuts and bites, but none were too serious. Nearby, LightClan gathered around two bodies. Lilianne, a gentle silver she-cat, and Whiskers, an unusually small tom. Bat and Echo, Lilianne's littermates, were too busy healing to sit vigil, but they cast sorrowful looks at her often. Whiskers' mentor, Coco, and sister, Mary, lay beside him. Mary was sobbing, her ginger-almost-scarlet fur stained by her tears. Coco was off in space, staring at a wall. The cats who weren't grieving milled about, pacing, talking, or getting wounds wrapped. Lyra had just finished her announcement.

Brook's thoughts drifted elsewhere. She thought of Creek. The tom's wounds hadn't been dealt with at all; in fact, he had a fresh scratch on his muzzle. She shot a death glare at Echo, who was cleaning a bite on Pumpkin's shoulder. She shivered as she remembered Creek's face when he had looked back. He had looked terrified beyond imagination. It was no secret he was WhiteClan's little punching bag, but he had attacked a clanmate. Brook didn't want to think about what was happening to the striped tom right now.

"'Kay, Brook. Just go easy on your paw and it'll be fine." Her brother's mew drew Brook from her thoughts.

"Thanks, Ash." She nuzzled him affectionately before padding off to talk to her mother.

**AAA**

Creek whimpered as Martha kicked him in the stomach, sending him skidding backwards. Faces leered over him, taunting, jeering, insulting. They clawed him, kicked him, threw him around. He was a bloody mess, a broken cat. Finally, Clark spat one last final thing and the cats left him laying on the ground just outside camp.

_I need to get out of here. If this keeps up, I'm going to get killed! _The black-striped tom began to clean his many wounds, shutting his eyes against the pain. Finally, when it seemed safe enough to move without gushing blood everywhere, he hauled himself to his paws and limped/dragged himself away from camp, towards LightClan territory. By the time he got there it was night, and uneasiness prickled through his torn and matted fur as he headed into the dark forest.

After what seemed like moons he reached the rise in the earth that indicated LightClan's underground camp. He nosed the cover up weakly, and rasped out a pathetic; "Help me, please!"

An all-too-familiar she-cat appeared, her eyes wide with worry. Brook lifted the cover up farther and nudged him inside, shutting it behind them. The battered tom leaned on her shoulder as they slowly made their way through the tunnel, across camp, and into the Herb den. It was pitch-black, spare a few glowing eyes from the dens.

"Bat! This cat needs help!" Brook mewed urgently to a pair of hazel eyes. A grunt informed him it was a tom. Creek flopped down and allowed himself to be inspected by Bat. The tom let out a curse and padded back into the den, returning with a small beacon of light with a wire running from it into the den, and a large mouthful of herbs. Creek could see now that the tom was pitch black with white paws, underbelly, tailtip, and muzzle. He grit his teeth as Bat squeezed juices and applied poultices.

Finally, it was over. With help from a worried Brook and calm- almost annoyed- Bat, Creek was brought into the herb den. He curled gratefully onto a mossy nest, croaking out a hoarse "Thank you," before he was out like a light.

**AAA**

**I'm sorry for all of the typos in the last chapter "0u0 I kinda rushed it.**


	10. Planting the Seed

**I know I switch POVs around a lot. That will stop later on. I just want to get everyone's OCs properly introduced, then we'll focus more on Bright, etc. and also, CHEESITS! Muahaha!**

**AAA**

Plume nudged her sister playfully, sighing as the tabby-patched she-cat rolled over. She muttered an unintelligible complaint and stood up from where Iris slept, just outside the tunnel. She went to go hunting but turned as someone called her name. It was Raven, the deputy.

"I want you, Sarah, Bugsy, and Gunther on a hunting patrol. Take Coco, too. He's been pretty depressed since Whiskers... y'know..." Plume nodded and padded off to collect the cats. She reached out a white paw and prodded Sarah. "Wake up Bugsy and Gunther, meet me at the tunnel. We're going hunting." The thin ginger she-cat nodded sleepily, starting her morning stretches.

Plume ducked into the strength den, apologizing as somecat hissed at her for stepping on their tail. "Coco, wake up. We're going hunting." The brown and white tom opened his dull eyes, nodding weakly. _Poor Coco_. The tom's trainee had been killed in the battle with WhiteClan.

Plume herself was still sore, suffering from a torn claw- _Damn that Glacier cat and his fluffy pelt!-_ and a deep slash down one flank. All of LightClan was battered and bruised, but she liked to think WhiteClan was worse off. The she-cat sat down at the tunnel entrance, waiting patiently for her patrol. She noticed Chipper looking at her from across camp, but as soon as she met his gaze he looked away. Her pelt heated up for reasons unknown to her.

Plume was drawn from her thoughts as Bugsy nudged her. The patrol headed off down the tunnel, nodding to Mary, today's guard. She purred as the scent of the forest hit her nose. Plume loved the outdoors almost as much as she loved her sister, and that was saying something! Wordlessly, the patrol split up in different directions. They didn't head too far away, lest they be attacked by WhiteClan ambushers. _Fat chance. Those fleabags couldn't fight a butterfly if it tore off its wings and threw itself in their jaws! _Scenting a squirrel, Plume crouched, spotting the little creature. Her soon-to-be freshkill was sitting by the roots of a pine tree, nibbling obliviously on an acorn. She stalked forward silently, stealthily, her tail curled over her back and her ears flat.

Plume pounced, hissing in anger as the squirrel moved at the last second and darted up the tree. _Oh no, you don't! _She scaled the tree, driving it farther up and farther up. Finally, it seemed to use it's seed-sized brain and scampered onto a thin limb, one that was snap if she stepped on it. _AirClan forsaken smarty little fox dung eating brat! _An idea crossed her mind. She stepped forward slightly, applying all of her weight on the branch. Just as she thought, it snapped. The squirrel squealed in horror as it fell, twisting and writhing. Plume quickly descended from the tree, delighted to find that the fall had snapped it's little neck. _That's what you get for defying Plume! If only you were a WhiteClan cat!_ If only. She'd love to sink her fangs into their snowy white fur, claw them 'till they were pink and hairless, throw them from trees, gouge their e- _What am I thinking?! I sound like a loon! Only the nutjobs think about... about torturing! But Whiteclan _did _abandon me and Iris. They deserve to pay! Oh, they'll pay alright! _

Plume pictured a WhiteClan cat's face on the still-warm fresh kill. Without thinking she lashed out, knocking the dead squirrel a few tail-lengths away. _Next time, it won't just be a squirrel..._

**AAA**

Coco loped around aimlessly. He was a strength! Which idiot sent him out hunting?! _They think I'm some sort of grief-stricken loon... _Blind with rage, the huge tom didn't even look up from pacing until he heard a bush rustle. Panic flared in his chest. He was _not _where he had been seven heartbeats ago! Coco realized in his anger he must've strayed far from the rendezvous for the patrol. Another rustle caught his attention.

His brown eyes swept through the trees and undergrowth. He whirled around with each rustle, which meant he was nearly spinning in circles. He let out a yowl of suprise that was cut short when a cat tackled him from behind. A paw clamped over his mouth and another over his jugular. Coco could feel claws pricking his flesh, not quite hard enough to draw blood. He struggled to see his attacker, but no matter how much he tried, it was useless.

"Coco, Coco, Coco. So you're the one who lost his trainee, huh? Whiskers, right?" Coco wriggled fiercely. He knew he was bigger than the cat, but stopped as the claws over his throat dug in deeper, drawing a few drops of blood.

"Stop struggling or I'll end your pitiful excuse for a life." The cat spat, who, by the gruff voice, was a tom. "Listen up. I've got a message for your stupid Clan. Tell them there's a traitor in their midst. No,_ two _traitors! I'm going to let you go now, okay? If you turn to look at me, or do anything but run, I will not hesitate to kill you." Coco felt the cat get off of his back, and the restraints disappeared. He got up, pretending to start to run, but whipped around, leaping at the cat. To his astonishment, the tom was gone!

A sudden weight on his back elicited a cry from him, which was once again cut off by his face being smashed in the dirt. "You were warned! I don't lie, Coco!" The tom sounded _very _angry. Claws poked his jugular.

"No, don't!" With his face muffled in the dirt, it sounded more like "Mo, wown'd!" Whether the tom heard him or not, he chose to ignore it. The claws dug into his throat and tore. Agony roared in Coco's head, and he yowled in pain through the dirt. The tom stepped off, and he rolled over, writhing and gurgling. His brown eyes opened for the last time as he sucked in air that would not come, and the last thing he saw were amber eyes.

_Amber eyes..._

**AAA**

**This is a little bit of a filler and a hint at later plot twists, so don't get mad!**


End file.
